Dispenser for book matches



Jan. 27, 1953 B. H. LOCKE DISPENSER FOR BOOK MATCHES Filed March 28, 1951 Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STTS AENT OFFICE 4t filaims.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for housing a quantity of conventional socalled book matches and affording means to perrnit the books to be manually dispensed therefrom.

The main object of the invention is to provide an efiective device that is simple in construction and one that has a. minimum of parts each of which can be entirely molded of plastic material, glass, or like material, without any further construction or finishing requirement, and thereby afiord a device that he produced at a low cost.

Another object is to provide a device having a cavity of a form to meet the shape of the match books in a manner to receive the hooks on edge and all in the same related position so as to facilitate the loading of the device and to aficrd the 'dispensing'of the books all in the same direction.

Another object is to provide a device having a simple means whereby the books of matches can be progressively advanced to a common position in the cavity where they may be manually dispensed therefrom one at a time.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved dispenser with books of matches shown intact by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the dispenser.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same with the cover removed.

Figure e is a plan View of the cover.

Figure 5 is a side view of the cover.

Figure 6 is a fragmental view taken from position 5-fi, of Figure 1.

My improved dispenser comprises two parts, a receptacle it, and a slip-on cover H therefor. Each part can be completely molded of plastic material, or glass, 01' the like, and there would be no further finishing required. Therefore, the dispenser would be relatively inexpensive to produce, once the molds are made, which is one objective of the invention.

The receptacle It comprises a generally circular base it having an outer and inner upstanding wall it and Hi, respectively, forming an annular cavity it suitable to receive a quantity of conventional books of matches F5 on edge and with the thick end El, thereof, positioned adjacent to the outer wall 53 and the thin end It, r

where the striker is normally attached, adja cent to the inner wall Id.

The books of matches being tapered lend themselves to be housed in an annular cavity, such as it, and to completely fill the cavity around the inner wall M, as well as around the outer wall l3, if the cavity is constructed of proper size. For example, the conventional match book is normally /8" thick at the striker end and thick at the end that covers the tips of the matches, when filled, and the bool: is 2 long. Therefore, if the inside of the outer wall I3 is substantially 6" in diameter and the outside of the inner wall it is substantially 2" in diameter, the books would substantially fill the cavity !5 with the books taking segmental positions in the cavity.

If such dimensions could not be held, it would appear best from an operating standpoint that the cavity be constructed larger in diameter rather than smaller so that the books of matches will abut each other adjacent the outside wall rather than at the inside wall for reason that the pack of books can be moved more easily around the cavity by pressure exerted against them at the outside thereof because pressure applied at a greater distance from the center would be more effective. Furthermore, if pressure was applied against the pack at the inside wall the pressure would tend to force the books outwardly against the outer wall and effect undue friction with the wall.

There is a bafiie l9 bridging cavity 15 and an opening 29 in the outer wall it, adjacent to the said bafiie, through which the books of matches may be dispensed. Baffle i9 is generally inclined ahead of a line A drawn radial to the constructive center of cavity [5 so that the advancing books of matches will tend to slide out through opening 2%} for easy grasping when pressure is applied back of the pack of books. The outer end portion 2! of baiile I9 is inclined considerably more than the main portion to afior'd space for a persons finger or thumb when dispening the books of matches from the opening 21!. Furthermore, additional openings 22 and 23 are generally provided in wall IS on each side or baffie I9, respectively, to afford further space for a persons finger or thumb when grasping a book of matches.

The free end 24 of Wall [3, adjacent to opening 29, is generally curved slightly inwardly to require the books of matches to be sprung past the same in order to become positioned opposite the dispensing opening 20. This insures against the forward book of matches from inadvertently dropping from the cavity when the dispenser is mounted onto a wall.

A bore 25 is provided in receptacle I!) at the constructive center of cavity I5 to slidably re- 3 ceive a sleeve portion 21 of cover H. Sleeve portion 21 is constructed long, relative to the depth of cover ll, so as to provide substantial support for said cover on receptacle l0.

Cover ll comprises a plate 26 with the relatively long described sleeve portion 21 positioned at the center thereof and a relatively narrow outer rim 28 to slidably fit down over the outside of receptacle l and thereby retain the outer wall l3 intact. An intermediate ring portion 29 is provided on cover I I, generally in central relation to cavity 15, for the purpose of retaining the books of matches within the cavity l5 and prevent the same from moving up inside of the cover, as they are progressed around the cavity l5, which would bring them out of position for dispensing through the opening 28.

A blade, or baffle, 30 is provided on cover II and is disposed to extend down into cavity [5. The cover H is normally positioned onto the receptacle to position the said baffie at the opposite end of the pack of book matches from that of the baffle E9 to secure the pack between the bafiles. Then when cover II is rotated in the proper direction on receptacle l0, which is clockwise in Figure 1, pressure will be applied behind the pack by baiiie 30 which will cause the pack to move around in the cavity to abut baffle 19 which will position the forward book in position to be dispensed through the opening 29.

After a book of matches has been dispensed through opening 20 and another book is desired, the cover H can be rotated sufiiciently to cause the pack of books to advance in the cavity to bring the next book in position for dispensement. The bafiles will confine the books and hold them in an upright position in the cavity at all times and thereby prevent them from toppling over as the pack is reduced in volume.

It is preferable, although not absolutely essential, that baffle be inclined ahead of a line B drawn radial with the constructive center of the cavity [5 so that the bulk of the pressure exerted by bafile 30 will be applied, on the pack of matches, adjacent the outside wall l3 of cavity 30, for reasons set forth hereinbefore.

Generally a plurality of holes 31 are provided in base [2 to receive mounting screws in instances wherein it is desired to mount the dispenser onto a wall, or like position.

Inasmuch as the books of matches are all positioned in the cavity in the same related position, the loading of the cavity could be accomplished more readily than if the books were required to be loaded alternately end to end as would be required in a straight line container assembly. Also. the books will all be dispensed with the large end first to afiord easy grasping of each book as it is dispensed.

I do not wish to be confined to the exact details of construction or materials set forth as the same are susceptible of modification within the spirit and scope of the claims to follow. For example, either the sleeve portion 2! or the rim portion 28, of cover I I, could be omitted, also the dispenser could be constructed of metallic material.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for book matches comprising a receptacle and a slip-on cover therefor, said receptacle comprising a base plate having an outer and inner Wall disposed substantially perpendicular thereto and forming an annular cavity therebetween, said cavity being suitable to receive a plurality of books of matches on edge, a baffle connecting the said outer and inner walls and bridging the said cavity, a relatively narrow vertical opening in the said outer wall adjacent to the said baflle to permit manual dispensing of the books of matches therethrough one at a time, a finger clearance opening through the outer wall of the receptacle connecting to the first said opening and on the opposite side thereof to the said baffle, a finger clearance opening in the said bafiie, said finger clearance openings being disposed in cooperative relationship to facilitate manual dispensing of books of matches through the first said opening, said cover comprising a plate having an outer wall disposed to cooperate with the said outer wall of the said receptacle and thereby effect positioning of the cover on the said receptacle, a bafiie on said cover and disposed to extend down into the cavity of said receptacle to contact any books of matches that may be housed therein and move the same around in the said cavity upon a rotatable movement of the said cover on the said receptacle.

2. A dispenser for book matches comprising a receptacle and a slip-on cover therefor, the receptacle being such as to house a quantity of books of matches on edge and in an annular form, a vertically disposed bafle in said receptacle and on said cover, the bafile in said receptacle being disposed to contact one end of any said housed quantity of books of matches and the bafile on said cover being disposed to contact the other end of the same, both said bafiles cooperating to efiect control of the movement of said matches around the receptacle to cooperate with the dispensing thereof upon a manual rotatable movement of the cover on the receptacle, a slot in the side of said receptacle adjacent the bafiie therein and intermediate the both said bafiles to permit dispensing of the books of matches therefrom, the baffle on said cover being vertical and angularly disposed so that the outer end of said baiile is forward of the inner end thereof with respect to a line radial with the constructive center of any said housed books of matches in the receptacle relative to the movement of the books of matches around the receptacle upon a rotative movement of the cover.

3. A dispenser for book matches comprising a receptacle and a slip-on cover therefor, said re ceptacle comprising a base plate having an outer and inner wall disposed substantially perpendicular thereto to form an annular cavity therebetween, said cavity being suitable to receive a plurality of books of matches on edge with the normal thick end thereof adjacent to the outer wall, a baflle connecting the said outer and inner walls and bridging the said cavity, and opening in thesaid outer wall adjacent said baffle, the end of the outer wall on the opposite side of said opening to said bafile being curved inwardly, a finger clearance opening through the outer wall of the receptacle connecting the first said opening and being disposed on the opposite side thercof to the said baffle, a finger clearance opening in the said baflie, said finger clearance openings cooperating to facilitate manual dispensing of books of matches through the first said opening, said cover comprising a plate having an outer wall disposed to extend partially down over the outside of said receptacle, a baffle on said plate disposed to extend down into the cavity of said receptacle to contact the books of matches and move the same therearound upon a rotatable movement of the said cover on the receptacle, projections on the said cover extending down into the receptacle sufficiently to prevent the books of matches from entering the area bounded by the outer wall of the cover.

4. A dispenser for book matches as described in claim 3, with both the said bafiies being vertical and angularly disposed with respect to a line radial with the constructive center of the said cavity.

BURTON H. LOCKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date May May 13, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany June 19, 1940 

